Fitness
Strengthen your lower abs with this unusual but beginner-friendly core exercise
We’re always on the lookout for new core exercises to add to our fitness routines, especially ones that help improve form and control. Midlife trainer Dr Won Dolegowski created the barbell back-supported knee raise with exactly this in mind, saying the movement ‘trains your lower abs without stressing your lower back’ while also teaching core control by reducing momentum and swinging.
‘A strong core goes beyond aesthetics. You need it for better posture, to protect your back and to carry you through life,’ she says.
Sarah Campus, PT, instructor, nutrition coach and founder of LDN MUMS FITNESS, explains how to perform the exercise with proper form, why it’s so effective and the key muscles it works.
How to do the barbell back-supported knee raise
- Set up a barbell on a rack so it sits at lower-back height when you’re positioned beneath it. Add a hip-thrust pad for comfort.
- Lean your lower back against the bar for support and stability, keeping your core engaged throughout.
- Raise your knees towards your chest by curling your pelvis upwards, rather than simply lifting your legs.
- Slowly lower your legs back down with control, avoiding swinging or arching through the lower back.
Muscles worked
The movement mainly targets the core muscles, says Campus, including:
- Rectus abdominis – particularly during the lifting phase of the knee raise
- Hip flexors – which help lift the knees
- Obliques – which assist with stability and pelvic control
- Transverse abdominals – for deep core stabilisation
Other muscles involved include:
- Quadriceps – which help maintain leg position
- Forearm and grip muscles – which help support your hold on the bar
- Shoulders and upper back – which stabilise the torso against the support
Benefits of the barbell back-supported knee raise
Campus says the exercise offers several key benefits:
- The core stays under constant tension throughout the movement, as the back support reduces momentum and swinging.
- It helps stabilise the spine and pelvis, reducing strain on the lower back and making the exercise feel safer and more comfortable.
- Because the torso stays in a fixed position, it’s easier to perform a proper pelvic curl at the top of the movement, helping improve lower-ab engagement and control.
- It can also help strengthen grip, adds Dolegowski.
Modifications of the barbell back-supported knee raise
1. Reverse crunches
- Lie on your back with your legs extended and arms by your sides, palms facing down. For extra support, place your hands underneath your hips.
- Press your lower back into the floor and brace your core by pulling your belly button towards your spine.
- Engage your lower abs to lift your legs and curl your knees towards your chest, allowing your hips to lift slightly off the floor at the top of the movement.
- Slowly lower your hips back down with control before extending your legs back to the starting position.
2. Hanging knee raises
- Hang from a bar with your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. Pull your shoulder blades down and brace your core.
- Bend your knees and raise them towards your chest using your core muscles, aiming to bring them up to hip height without swinging.
- Pause briefly at the top of the movement while keeping your torso stable.
- Slowly lower your legs back to the starting position with control.
3. Captain’s chair leg raises
- Position yourself in a captain’s chair with your back against the support pad and your forearms resting on the arm pads. Let your legs hang straight down.
- Brace your core and slowly raise your straight legs until they reach hip height or slightly higher.
- Pause briefly at the top while keeping your torso steady and avoiding swinging.
- Lower your legs back down slowly and with control before repeating.
Having a strong core is about far more than sporting a six-pack. Build functional mid-section strength – while also improving your power, posture, coordination and balance – with WH COLLECTIVE coach Izy George’s 4-week core challenge. Download the Women’s Health UK app to access the full training plan today.
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Sarah Campus is a highly qualified women’s PT, Nutrition Coach, Running Coach, Distance Runner, mum of 3 and founder of LDN MUMS FITNESS.
She’s the host of the Soho House Run Club in Chiswick and a STRAVA and TOMMY’s marathon coach and ambassador. She specialises helping non-runners get into competitive distance running.
As a fitness and holistic wellness expert, Sarah regularly features on TV and in Magazines, offering tips and advice to keep the whole family healthy and active.
Fitness
Jennifer Aniston, 57, says she’s stronger now than in her 20s – and credits one simple training shift
Known for her disciplined approach to fitness, Jennifer Aniston has been using the Pvolve method for five years to build strength and mobility. Her trainer, Dani Coleman, recently shared the biggest changes she’s seen in Jennifer’s fitness since they started working together.
‘She has always been passionate about movement and wellness. But it has truly been game-changing to watch her strength year after year just get better and better, and to see her mentality shift with how she imagines what a successful workout is,’ she said on an episode of The Bossticks podcast.
Jennifer used to define a successful workout as one that was more traditionally intense. But she’s realised that ‘you don’t have to break your body down to get a good workout’, Dani revealed.
‘She’s talked about previous injuries she’s had and how she used to think that you needed gruelling workouts, even when she had a back injury. I think the most rewarding thing is really seeing her mindset shift.’
It’s therefore been especially gratifying ‘seeing Jennifer level up her weights and just trust me to put her through it now’.
Jennifer agrees.
‘Simpler is better – and consistency,’ she said in a recent Pvolve clip.
Pvolve founder Rachel Katzman also acknowledged that Jennifer now believes the best workouts build up and support her body, rather than punish it.
‘The one thing she always says is, “I wish I had this in my 20s,”’ Rachel said of Jennifer’s enthusiasm for Pvolve on another recent episode of The Bossticks.
‘“I wish I didn’t destroy my body when I was younger to look a certain way because that’s what I thought I had to do,”’ she continued. ‘And now with Pvolve, I look better than I did back then. I feel better. I’m stronger. I’m leaner. I just have more energy.’
Jennifer Anniston’s current Pvolve routine
Rachel confirmed key details about Jennifer’s workout schedule.
‘I heard a little rumour that she does Pvolve only four days a week,’ podcast host Lauryn said.
‘I think that rumour’s true,’ Rachel confirmed.
‘And she does an hour,’ continued Lauryn.
‘You can ask Dani for specifics, but yes,’ Rachel replied.
The founder also emphasised the importance of strength training and described her own changing attitude towards lifting weights.
‘I’m definitely going up in my weights. I was somebody who was very, very scared of weights. I didn’t even want to use a 2lb (0.9kg) weight. Now, I’ve got my 12lb (5.4kg) and my 15lb (6.8kg) weights.’
Echoing her, Dani’s main piece of advice for Jennifer – and trainees more generally – is still ‘to prioritise strength, as well as your mobility and stability’.
One of our most frequently asked questions here at Women’s Health? How to build muscle and burn fat at the same time. So, we asked superstar trainer Oyinda Okunowo exactly how to do it. In this 4-week plan – created exclusively for Women’s Health COLLECTIVE members – you’ll get the workouts and nutrition guidance needed to help you on your way to better body composition. Tap the link below to unlock 14 days of free access to Oyinda’s plan and start training today.
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Getting in shape doesn’t always have to be gruelling. “Snack” workouts – meaning short, well-executed bursts of activity – can be enough to get your heart pumping, endorphins flowing, and energy levels up, no gym membership or matching sets required.
Perfect for the time-poor, gym-shy, or those who simply dread the prospect of slogging through a lengthy workout, these bite-sized exercise sessions could be anything from a quick burst of high-intensity movement (like squat jumps, burpees, lunges or high knees), to climbing the stairs multiple times, hoovering, or even dancing to your favourite song. It simply has to get your heart rate up.
Here, experts weigh in on the snack workout fitness trend.
What are snack workouts?
Micro workout sessions that take anywhere from a few seconds to a few minutes, but contribute to your daily movement goal.
“One of the best things about micro workouts is how they completely lower the barrier to entry,” says Dani Coleman, vice president of training and head trainer at Pvolve. “They break that all-or-nothing mindset. Instead, they help you build a consistent movement pattern that fits into real life. Plus, they are an amazing shortcut for a quick mood boost and an energy reset when you are feeling sluggish.”
@doctoranddancer Have you heard of exercise snacks? Small bite size movement can be effective ways to get in the many benefits of an hour long workout! So when you’re sitting at your desk for prolonged periods of time, take an exercise snack! Exercise snacking is defined as a brief period of high-intensity movement or exercise that typically lasts for 1-10 minutes! Some examples include * Stair climbing * Jumping jacks. * Jumping rope. * Chair squats. * Lunges. * Sprints. * Pushups. * Mountain climbers. #health #exercisesnack #workout #healthy ♬ original sound – Dr. Poonam Desai
Science supports the argument that “brief, intense” spurts of exercise can have huge benefits for our fitness levels, with one study showing that those who fit exercise snacks into their day (in this instance by taking roughly 20 seconds to climb 60 stairs as fast as possible), improved their aerobic fitness by around five per cent.
Are snack workouts effective?
Depending on your goals, yes, snack workouts can be very effective. (And remember, some movement is always better than none.)
Personal trainer and founder of the physical-therapy practice Pearls From a PT, Lori Diamos, points to a study in the journal BMC Public Health, which found that sedentary office workers in China who performed three-minute micro-exercise breaks every hour during the workday for 12 weeks saw improvements in their HDL (good) cholesterol, as well as reduced systolic blood pressure and waist circumference.
These workout sessions included exercises like marching in place, desk or wall push-ups, squats, standing heel raises, arm circles, and shoulder rolls. Participants also reported higher energy levels and improved productivity, and more than 80 per cent completed at least 80 per cent of the programme. “That adherence piece matters, because many people today have full schedules and high responsibilities, so trying to carve out large blocks of time for exercise can feel overwhelming,” Diamos points out.
@lucywyndhamread 3 Minute ⏳Exercise Snack 🍿 Keep moving – because movement is medicine. This is full body snack takes just 3 minutes and you can do this daily to kickstart your day towards better health ✔️❤️ Lucy 💃🧚🏻♀️💋💋 #perimenopause #menopause #womenshealth #gettinghealthy #wwuk #homefitness #exercisesnacks #exercisesnacking ♬ original sound – Lucy Wyndham-Read – Fitness
What’s really important, Coleman notes, is the quality of movement. “Your muscles don’t have a clock – they just respond to stimulus,” she explains. “If you use those shorter windows for highly intentional, resistance-based movement, you’re still getting the exact muscle activation and metabolic output your body needs to thrive.”
Another factor to consider is intensity, says personal trainer and founder of health coaching platform FisioPR, Dennis Colón. “Short-burst exercise routines are very effective as long as the intensity is high enough,” he says.
Can snack workouts replace longer workout sessions?
Should a shiny new exercise snack replace more traditional 30 to 45-minute workouts? The answer, according to personal trainer Alice Liveing, is: it depends upon your goals. “For those wanting to really progress their workouts and notice a difference in their strength and cardiovascular fitness, then I’d say dedicated [longer] workouts are probably best to help you reach the intensity needed to elicit a physical response.
The experts agree: snack workouts should be viewed as complementary to longer sessions, not something to replace them with altogether. “Longer sessions usually allow for greater training volume, deeper fatigue, heavier strength work, endurance training, power development and more focused recovery work,” Diamos says. If you’re into heavy strength training, for example, Colón points out that it requires longer rest periods. Otherwise, you could introduce fatigue or cause form breakdown, which could, in turn, lead to injuries.
“Think of your longer sessions as your foundational pillars for strength and structural longevity, and your micro workouts as the connective tissue,” Coleman continues. “They lower the barrier to entry, protect your routine, and keep your movement patterns primed on the days life gets in the way. Consistent movement is the ultimate goal, and using a mix of both is how you actually sustain it.”
How does the snack workout trend compare to other short-intensity workouts, like Tabata?
Tabata workouts are a form of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) in which you perform exercises for 20 seconds, then rest for 10 seconds, for a total of four minutes – definitely not office-friendly. Consider snack workouts the low-intensity version of Tabata, though.
@lucywyndhamread SATURDAY SNACK – Inspiring you with a short exercise snack to keep you on track over the weekend – this week this move will work your Waist #saturdaysnacks #exercisesnacks #inspiringyou #weekendinspiration #waisttoning #waistworkout ♬ original sound – Lucy Wyndham-Read – Fitness
“Are you looking to maximise a short window with high-intensity conditioning, or to weave movement into your day in a more moderate, restorative way,” Coleman asks? “Both fit into a tight schedule, but they treat your nervous system in completely different ways.”
How much physical activity should you do per week?
According to the NHS, adults should get at least 150 minutes of moderate exercise or 75 minutes of vigorous exercise per week. You should also consider strength-training exercises at least twice a week. “Physical activity is cumulative,” Coleman adds. “Your body doesn’t care if you hit your baseline in one continuous block or stack shorter, highly intentional workouts throughout your day. They all count toward your total weekly volume.”
How can snack workouts be integrated into your daily life?
Here are some movements to add to your everyday routine:
@outofshapetostrong #womenover50 #outofshapetostrong #strengthtraining #exercisesnacks #exercises ♬ original sound – Out of Shape to Strong
- Take the stairs at a brisk pace
- Aim for 10 to 15 squats between meetings or episodes of your favourite show
- Park a little farther away from your destination to add time to your walk
- Do one minute of jumping Jacks or marching at your desk – or in the stairwell
- Raise your calves while you brush your teeth
- Walk while you take calls or meetings
- Carry your shopping back and forth in indiviual bags when unpacking it, rather than all at once
- Stretch or do a short plank while your coffee brews
- Stand up from your desk every hour to walk or stretch
- Do a few push-ups against a wall or your desk
Original article appeared on BRITISH VOGUE
- Scientists are using CRISPR-Cas9 technology to permanently turn off two iver genes, PCSK9 and angiopoietin-like protein 3. Both are common drug targets for lowering LDL cholesterol levels.
- Small clinical trials show promising results with creating a ‘one and done’ treatment. Turning off the PCSK9 gene lowered cholesterol levels by 62 percent. Turning off angiopoietin-like protein 3 lowered cholesterol by nearly 50 percent.
- Heart doctors find “incredible potential” in gene therapy and a future where people may not need daily cholesterol-lowering pills.
GETTING A DIAGNOSIS of high cholesterol is not fun. It requires a revamp of lifestyle basics like how you eat and making sure you’re taking medications on time. Not to mention the never-ending worry of what would happen if cholesterol levels don’t improve. Because no one wants a future filled with potential stroke and heart attacks.
Cue this radical, ingenious method that sounds like something out of The Twilight Zone. Scientists have found a way to permanently stop cholesterol from ever building up in your body. All it requires is a little snip of your genes.
Here’s what you need to know.
Turning off Two Cholesterol Genes
BEFORE YOU WRITE this off as mad science, know there is some legitimacy to a gene-editing approach. Scientists have been using a gene editing technology called CRISPR-Cas 9 for years. The tool acts as a molecular scissor where it “cuts” a certain sequence of DNA bases. It then takes advantages of the DNA repair system to replace the existing segment with a customized DNA sequence that could fix the mutation or even turn the gene off. In other words, CRISPR lets you rewrite the genetic code. CRISPR is already in use for treatments of genetic disorders such as sickle cell anemia.
Two separate studies found gene-editing a promising approach to tackling high cholesterol.
In May 2026, The New England Journal of Medicine published the results of a small phase 1b study of a drug called VERVE-102. VERVE-102 works by editing the proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) gene. People with overactive versions of the enzyme liver gene, PCSK9, tend to have a harder time clearing out LDL (“bad”) cholesterol in the blood. Meanwhile, people with defective versions of PCSK9 tend to have lower LDL levels, making PCSK9 a favorable target for high cholesterol.
The new drug works by making a small rewrite in the PCSK9 genetic code. The new instructions stops the gene from ever producing the PCSK9 enzyme.
Thirty-five people at risk for early heart disease or genetically have high cholesterol were given different doses of the drug to test if it was safe. There were no major side effects (the most common was a temporary increase in a separate liver enzyme, suggesting minor liver injury). Though the study was small, it did show that a single infusion of the highest dose lowered cholesterol levels by 62 percent.
In November 2025, a separate group of scientists edited a separate gene called angiopoietin-like protein 3. This gene increases cholesterol levels by inhibiting enzymes used to break down fat. Their phase 1 clinical also published in the The New England Journal of Medicine used an experimental CRISPR-Cas9 tool called CTX310 to create a mutation to make the angiopoietin-like protein 3 lose function, thereby reducing LDL cholesterol, along with triglycerides (a type of fat in the body).
Within 2 weeks, people’s LDL cholesterol and triglyceride levels dropped and stayed low for at least 60 days. While the researchers originally planned to consider a 30 to 40 percent drop a success, CTX310 reduced LDL cholesterol and triglycerides by nearly 50 percent or more on average at the highest dose.
“This is a permanent change,” says Steven Nissen, MD, study co-author and chairman of the department of cardiovascular medicine at the Cleveland Clinic. “It’s a one and done treatment. That’s why it’s so exciting. It allows us to permanently fix a gene.”
Heart Doctors Find “Incredible Potential” With Gene-Editing
THE GENE-EDITING approach is already getting a lot of buzz in the medical community. “There is incredible potential with this,” says Yu-Ming Ni, MD, cardiologist and lipidologist at MemorialCare Heart and Vascular Institute at Orange Coast Medical Center in Fountain Valley, CA. “It’s really quite amazing that you can permanently remove this as a risk factor for heart disease in one treatment.”
Cardiologist and Men’s Health advisory board member Christopher Kelly, MD, says this treatment is “approaching magic” for people with high cholesterol. “It’s definitely where the future of medicine is headed.” He adds that gene therapy is helpful in shifting away from taking daily pills.
Both gene editing therapies will move on to a phase 2 clinical trial. That will be larger and involve more participants to better study the effectiveness of the treatment. Kelly is hopeful of promising results once the technique is reviewed and approved for use. “Once the technique is perfected, the side effects will probably be minimal, since specific genes are targeted in very precise ways.”
Still, even if everything continues to go well, don’t expect your doctor to recommend custom gene therapy yet. Because CRISPR-Cas9 changes your DNA, the US Food and Drug Administration recommends long-term safety monitoring. That’s usually 15 years for CRISPR-based treatments. In other words, there’s still a long way before you can simply roll up to your doctor’s office with high cholesterol and leave with altered genes and a lower cholesterol status.
“This won’t be a treatment for everybody but, for people who are difficult to treat, the concept of a one and done treatment is attractive,” Nissen says. Ni agrees. “This could be a major game-changer,” he says.
Korin Miller is a freelance writer specializing in general wellness, sexual health and relationships, and lifestyle trends, with work appearing in Men’s Health, Women’s Health, Self, Glamour, and more. She has a master’s degree from American University, lives by the beach, and hopes to own a teacup pig and taco truck one day.
Jocelyn Solis-Moreira, MS is the associate health & fitness for Men’s Health and has previously written for CNN, Scientific American, Popular Science, and National Geographic before joining the brand. When she’s not working, she’s doing circus arts or working towards the perfect pull-up.
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